Joseph went to school in a one room school house for the first eight grades and graduated from high school in 1932.
In 1919 his mother passed away from the flu and his father passed away on March 4, 1933. Joseph had a brother, Paul and a sister, Mary and two half-brothers, John and Morris.
In May of 1933 Joseph moved to Wichita, Kansas where he worked with the Wichita Beacon newspaper starting on May 9, 1933. He lived with his brother, Paul and his wife Pearl until he married Edna McGongle on September 26, 1934. Together Joseph and Edna had one son, Wayne and one daughter, Virginia. Edna’s mother, Lucy McGongle lived with them until her passing in March of 1950 at the age of 84.
In September of 1946 the family moved to Denver, Colorado where Joseph started working for the Denver Post as a Pressman on September 5, 1946; he also worked at the Rocky Mountain News and Catholic Register. Joseph retired from the Denver Post in 1975.
Virginia and Richard Merkle were married on August 17, 1962; they have two daughters, Sharon Lynne and Melanie Sue.
Wayne and Margene Merkle were married on June 4, 1965; they have two sons, Steven Kent and Dale Eric.
Joseph and Edna lived at the Lakewood Meridian Retirement Center until Edna passed away on March 12, 1991.
Joseph is survived by his children, Virginia (Richard) Merkle, Wayne (Margene) Hamilton; grandchildren, Sharon Lynne Andrew, Melanie Sue Williams, Steven Kent Hamilton, Dale Eric Hamilton; five great-grandchildren, Lindsey Slabaugh, Ryan Slabaugh, Kyle Hamilton, Connor Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton; five great great-grandchildren, Alysa Wood, Jadyn Wood, Olivia Meza, Gabriel Meza, Everly Slabaugh; and many other loving family members and friends.
The family will receive friends for a visitation at 1:00pm on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at Olinger Chapel Hill a service will follow at 2:00pm. Joseph will be laid to rest next to his wife and the family will have a reception after the committal service.
